School of Journalism & Media

Graduating Senior Allison Seaton Found Her Passion After Transferring to Rocky Top

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Graduating senior Allison Seaton showing off her media credentials.

Transferring to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, turned out to be the right move for graduating senior Allison Seaton.

The East Tennessee native and School of Journalism and Media major may have started her collegiate career elsewhere, but Rocky Top is where she found her passion for sports storytelling.

“If I didn’t come back, I never would have found the field I wanted to be in,” Seaton said.

She enrolled to study political science and pre-law at UT with an interest in working in sports law. During her first semester, Seaton … Read more “Graduating Senior Allison Seaton Found Her Passion After Transferring to Rocky Top”

Riedl Selected as Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Visiting Fellow

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School of Journalism and Media Assistant Professor Martin Riedl was selected as a Center for Advanced Studies visiting fellow at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany starting this winter.

Riedl will join a team of international researchers analyzing the role of encrypted messaging services such as WhatsApp in online extreme speech cultures globally.

“I’m excited to join a group of researchers who have been thinking about issues of harassment, violence, and extreme speech on WhatsApp for a long time,” Riedl said. “Our work focuses on analyzing how platforms and their affordances compound harms and power imbalances in society … Read more “Riedl Selected as Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Visiting Fellow”

Live Election Day Special Helped Students Hone Skills, Milestone for TVC

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TVC students celebrate after successfully producing “Voting Matters,” a live Election Day special, on Nov. 5, 2024.

Three weeks before Election Day, School of Journalism and Media Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater reached out to the student leadership at The Volunteer Channel (TVC) with an idea to produce an Election Day live special.

Inspired by the great work the students have been doing all semester covering the election as part of the Election Project, a collaborative reporting initiative between the School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center, Tarwater viewed the live special as the next … Read more “Live Election Day Special Helped Students Hone Skills, Milestone for TVC”

Land Grant Films’ Howard Baker Documentary Premieres at CCI Board Meeting

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Former U.S. Ambassador and longtime friend of U.S. Sen. Howard H. Baker, Jr., Arthur “A.B.” Culvahouse, Jr., addressing the crowd ahead of the screening of Land Grant Films’ Baker for America documentary.

College of Communication and Information master’s student Seth Reynolds vividly remembers his dad’s reaction when he shared he was selected to work on a documentary about U.S. Sen. Howard H. Baker, Jr.

“My dad’s jaw dropped to the floor,” Reynolds said. “‘That is my hero,’ he said.”

Growing up in East Tennessee, Reynolds’ dad idolized Baker because of his character and willingness to put the American people over … Read more “Land Grant Films’ Howard Baker Documentary Premieres at CCI Board Meeting”

Student-Produced Documentary Batmite Set to Premiere at Film Fest Knox

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The Film Fest Knox poster for Batmite, a student-produced documentary about the Knoxville skating community. The film will premier at the Film Fest Knox Festival on Nov. 17, 2024 in the Regal Riviera movie theater.

After moving to Knoxville, senior Emma Caskill was looking for a way to get plugged into the local skating community.

This led to the discovery of the skateboard store Pluto Sports. There she met its owner Brian Beauchene. Caskill enjoyed learning about the history of skating in Knoxville from Beauchene, who since the 1980s has been at the forefront of advocating for local skaters and … Read more “Student-Produced Documentary Batmite Set to Premiere at Film Fest Knox”

School Of Journalism and Media Alumni, Faculty Celebrate Broadcasting Awards Together 

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School of Journalism and Media alumni and faculty won several awards at the 2024 Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Awards in August. Pictured from the left are: alumna Caroline Mueller (’24), Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater (’09), and alumna Nicki Marker (’24). with their trophies.

Alumna Nicki Marker (‘24) was leaving the stage at the 2024 Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Awards when the next award was announced and the winner’s name was one very familiar to the WHNT News multimedia reporter. 

Marker won the Horizon Award for Best Up-and-Coming Radio or Television Reporter or Personality but her excitement grew when … Read more “School Of Journalism and Media Alumni, Faculty Celebrate Broadcasting Awards Together ”

Students Get Hands-on Experience Covering Adaptive Sports at the 2024 Paralympics

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School of Journalism and Media student Griffin Hadley interviewing athletes at the 2024 Paralympic Games for USA TODAY

Senior Griffin Hadley was first exposed to the sport of goalball while visiting the Philippines with the VOLeaders Academy at University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

A year later, the School of Journalism and Media major and Tennessee Vol swimmer would be in Paris at the 2024 Paralympic Games producing an explainer video for the USA TODAY Network to introduce others to this unique and possible “new favorite” sport.

“In the middle of a trip where I was fully immersed in adaptive sports, learning … Read more “Students Get Hands-on Experience Covering Adaptive Sports at the 2024 Paralympics”

‘Once-In-A-Lifetime’: Students Report On The 2024 Paralympic Games For USA TODAY

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The School of Journalism and Media partnered with the USA TODAY Network to cover the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France this summer.

School of Journalism and Media junior and sports writer Gabriel Jackson was sitting in the press box at the Place de la Concorde reporting on the 2024 Paralympic Games opening ceremonies in Paris, France.

He was taking notes for his story when the French national team walked in and the crowd erupted in cheers and song.

He stopped.

“I just wanted to enjoy it,” he said.

That was the moment it all sunk in for Jackson. He … Read more “‘Once-In-A-Lifetime’: Students Report On The 2024 Paralympic Games For USA TODAY”

CCI Faculty Present At ICA Conference; Iannocone Earns Top Thesis/Dissertation Award

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Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations Assistant Professor Jeannettee Iannacone was honored with the James E. Grunig and Larissa A. Grunig Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation Award at the 2024 International Communication Association Conference (ICA).

Iannacone was part of a group of College of Communication and Information doctoral students and faculty members from the Tombras School and the School of Journalism and Media (JEM) representing the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, at the prestigious conference in June.

JEMa Assistant Professor Mustafa Oz said ICA is a highly important conference in the communication field, attracting thousands of academics and scholars from around … Read more “CCI Faculty Present At ICA Conference; Iannocone Earns Top Thesis/Dissertation Award”

Students Cover 2024 US Paralympic Track and Field Team Trials For USA TODAY

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Three School of Journalism and Media students covered the 2024 US Paralympic Team Trials – Track and Field in July for USA TODAY ahead of traveling to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Pictured from left are Catherine Ligon, Avery Bane, and Gabriel Jackson.

“Never in a million years.”

Those are the odds School of Journalism and Media major Catherine Ligon would have guessed if asked about her chances of being published in USA TODAY prior to this summer.

However, that all changed for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, junior last month.

“It was really humbling.I got super excited when … Read more “Students Cover 2024 US Paralympic Track and Field Team Trials For USA TODAY”